Canopy for gondola cars



July 30, 1929. A. T. McwANE 1,722,533

cmoPY FOR eoywom ems Filed Dec. 11, 1926 Arthur" T.M Wa;n

l atented- July 30, 1929.

UNETEE STATES ARTHUR T. MCWANE, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA;

CANOPY FOR GONIDOLA CARS.

Application filed December 11, 1926. Serial No; 154,271.

A primary object of the present invention is to improve upon the disclosure in an application filed by me November 5, 1923, Serial No. 672,900, for Canopy for loading cars, new Patent No. 1,568,286, dated J an.

5, 1926, by producing a canopy which isparticularly designed for cars of the open or gondola type.

A further object is to produce such a canopy which shall readily be attachable to and removal from the car, and which shall be adjustable to vary its position longitudinally of the car.

Another object is to provide means for se curing the canopy selectively at difierent heights relative to the car.

A further object is to provide an arrangement of guys by which the canopy shall be securable against displacement either longitudinally of the car or upwardly therefrom.

And a still further object is to provide in connection with such a canopy an extension therefrom which shall project outwardly beyond the side of the car, and which, while normally extending downwardly away from the car, shall be adjustable both as to angle and as to length of projection.

The means by which the foregoing and otherobjects are accomplished by my invention, and the manner of their accomplishment, readily will be understood from the following description on reference to the accompanying drawings, which depict preferred embodiments of the invention, and in which i Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a gondola car having my improved canopy applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the canopy and the means by which it preferably is secured to the car, on a larger scale, and with only a portion of the sides of the car shown.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, showing the preferred means for adjusting the angle and the length of projection of the canopy extension.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view, showing the preferred means for forming a trough near the outer edge of the canopy extension.

As shown in the drawings, in which like reference characters identify corresponding parts throughout the several views, the can opy is secured to the sides 5 and 6 of the car by means of clamps 7 which are so shaped as, to fit over the flanges 8 at the tops of the respective sides, and are detachably secured to the sides by means of thumb-screws 9. Each of said clamps has a suitable opening in each of the horizontal legs thereof, and is provided with a thumb-screwlO by means of which rods 11 and 12 may be secured in said openings at any desired height relative to the level of the sides of the car. The upper ends of said rods are tapered slightly, to'facilitate their insertion into, and to insure their fitting tightly in, suitable openings provided therefor at the respective ends of fiat bars 13 which are loosely retained in pocketsformed therefor in the canopy 14.

Upon each of the rods at the side of the car from which it is desired that the canopy extension 15 should project, there is slidably mounted a sleeve 16 which is supported by resting upon one of the clamps 7, said sleeve having 2. lug 17 thereon, to which is pivotally secured one end of a rod 18, which is held at the desired angle relative to the vertical rod by a thumb-screw 19. At the outer edge the canopy extension 15 is secured to a rod 20,.

which preferably is cylindrical, and which has at each end thereof an opening for the slidable reception of the reduced outer end 21 of the rod 18.

At each sideof the car, two guy-ropes 22 and 23 each have one end looped over or otherwise suitably secured to the projecting upper end of the vertical supporting rod for the canopy, and also passed over the bar 13, and the other ends of said guys are secured to the ladder rungs or other available projections at the respective ends of the car.

In the modification shown in'Fig. 4, a rod 24- is inserted between the lower portion of the canopy extension 15 and the underside of the rod 18, and thus a trough is formed in a manner similar to that disclosed in my prior application aforesaid.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the rods by which the canopy is supported, and the clamps by which said rods are secured to the sides of the car, provide for adjusting the position of the canopy lengthwise of the car, for varying the height of the canopy, and for locating the canopy extension at either side of the car; Also, that by detaching the round rod or roller 20 from i the rod 18, and rolling the canopy extension, 7 upon rod 20, then changing the angle of rod screw 19, the overhang of the canopy extensionmay be changed, or its angle varied, or both may be accomplished at the same time.

The guy ropes 22 and 23 serve not only to hold the canopy against longitudinal displacement, but also to prevent such upward movement of the canopy as might tend to detach the flat bars 13 from the upper ends of the vertical rods 11 and 12.

'While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire therefore that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art, or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

stifi'ening members extending longitudinally of the canopy and provided with holes near the ends thereof, supporting members each having an end shaped to fit in the holes, an I adj ustably slidable member fitting on each of the supporting members, and means for clamping the slidable members to the sides of'a car.

2; Ina canopy fora-railway car, a pair of stiffening members extending longitudinally of the canopy and provided with holes near the ends thereof, supporting members each having an end shaped to fit in the holes, an adjustably slidable member fitting on each of the supporting members, an extension to the canopy adapted to overhang a side of the car, and means for adjustably supporting the extension in angular relation to the side of the can.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

ARTHUR T. MoWA-NE. 

